


The Leaves in Genki

by ohayohimawari



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Check the End Notes Before you @ Me, Fix-It, Hatake Kakashi Has Issues, Hattori Hanzou is a Samurai by Day and a Ninja by Night, Historical, Historical References, Hyuuga Neji is a Passionate Dork, Japan, Nara Shikamaru is a Smarty-Pants, One Shot, Other, POV Hatake Kakashi, Secret Santa Gift 2019, Senju Tobirama Messes With Jutsu, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Uchiha Massacre, Warring states period
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:41:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21810247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohayohimawari/pseuds/ohayohimawari
Summary: He had been on the most grisly assignment of his ten years in ANBU, sweeping the Uchiha district looking for survivors. Kakashi heard that one boy had been left alive, and he hoped to find others, but he didn’t.What he did find was a passageway that led beneath the Uchiha’s meeting hall. Itachi was still unaccounted for after his attack on his own clan, so Kakashi proceeded to follow the tunnel down in case it led to his hiding place.He didn’t find Itachi there, but a stone tablet had caught and held Kakashi’s attention. He removed his ceramic mask and was on the verge of opening his left eye, curious as to whether or not his borrowed Sharingan could perceive more in the tablet than met his right eye when he heard an ominous scratching sound.Under his gaze, a seal glowed, making itself known and seemingly etching itself deeper into the rock wall behind the tablet. Without thinking, Kakashi reached up to touch it and in one furious, nauseating spin, found himself standing in a low valley in the middle of the day, in the middle of winter, with a dead man standing before him.
Relationships: Hyuuga Neji/Nara Shikamaru
Comments: 14
Kudos: 223





	The Leaves in Genki

**Author's Note:**

  * For [OftheValkyrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OftheValkyrie/gifts).



> This is a story I've written for a Secret Santa Gift Exchange in one of the Discord servers that I belong to.
> 
> My giftee's wishlist:  
> Four Key Words: time travel, warring states period, bonds of necessity, winter  
> Three Favorite Characters: Kakashi, Tobirama, Shikamaru  
> Two Favorite Pairings (Optional): Kakashi/Tobirama, Shikamaru/Neji  
> One Sentence Prompt: "Did you just kiss me?" and "I thought we were going to die!"  
> Preferred Genre: fix-it, h/c
> 
> Thank you to my beta readers: MrsSakuraHatake, and Birkastan2018 <3
> 
> I do not own these characters; I've had a ball sending them through time to the Warring States Period in Japan.

“Keep walking.”

Kakashi Hatake’s toes throbbed as he lifted one sandaled foot out of the ice-crusted snow after plunging the other down into it. He thought that his feet were supposed to go numb in such conditions, and while the pain was excruciating, he was glad of it. It helped to stave off the dangerous drowsiness that threatened to overtake him in the extreme cold.

It also helped to distract him from the impossible situation he found himself in, and the impossible fellows that he was in it with.

“I’m f-freezing,” Shikamaru Nara stuttered through a cloud of his breath that lingered in the frigid air.

“Which is why you should keep walking,” Tobirama Senju repeated his command through his clenched jaw.

Kakashi did his best to keep his temper from exploding on Lord Second while Neji Hyūga wrapped one arm around Shikamaru’s shoulders and turned his head to look behind him. “How are you holding up, K-Kakashi-sensei?”

And then there was _that_. “N-not your s-sensei,” Kakashi replied through chattering teeth.

In truth, Kakashi would rather be trapped in a genjutsu than accept the reality of his predicament, but the pain in his fingers and toes prevented him from believing it.

He had been on the most grisly assignment of his ten years in ANBU, sweeping the Uchiha district looking for survivors. Kakashi heard that one boy had been left alive, and he hoped to find others, but he didn’t.

What he did find was a passageway that led beneath the Uchiha’s meeting hall. Itachi was still unaccounted for after his attack on his own clan, so Kakashi proceeded to follow the tunnel down in case it led to his hiding place.

He didn’t find Itachi there, but a stone tablet had caught and held Kakashi’s attention. He removed his ceramic mask and was on the verge of opening his left eye, curious as to whether or not his borrowed Sharingan could perceive more in the tablet than met his right eye when he heard an ominous scratching sound.

Under his gaze, a seal glowed, making itself known and seemingly etching itself deeper into the rock wall behind the tablet. Without thinking, Kakashi reached up to touch it and in one furious, nauseating spin, found himself standing in a low valley in the middle of the day, in the middle of winter, with a dead man standing before him.

A dead man that was once the Second Hokage, who was very much alive and pulling a kunai on Kakashi, demanding, “Who are you?”

Kakashi only had time to scowl before two others appeared out of the thin, frozen air. One was easily identified as a Hyūga by his wide pale eyes, and the other exclaimed, “Kakashi-sensei?”

“It’s _Captain_. Captain Hatake,” Kakashi narrowed his right eye as he answered. Then, he turned away from the newcomers, “And you are Tobirama Senju, Lord Second.”

“…Hatake,” Tobirama repeated the name as if it were familiar to him and tucked his kunai away. “Who are you two? I can tell from your headbands that you are Leaf shinobi."

“I am Neji Hyūga, and this is Shikamaru Nara, Sir,” Neji replied for them both.

Kakashi knew those names and knew that they belonged to young boys, not young men. “You’re lying,” he accused.

Shikamaru cast him a withering look that was so like his father’s that it proved his lineage. “Where are we?” He asked.

Not a single one among them answered.

Shikamaru ran a hand down his face in exasperation. “How did we get here?”

“I was perfecting a new jutsu—” Tobirama started.

“You call _this_ perfecting?” Kakashi interrupted him.

“We touched a seal that suddenly appeared,” Shikamaru raised his voice, bringing their focus back to his question.

“So did I,” Kakashi offered, dropping his argument.

“I had just finished drawing the seal and was experimenting with it,” Tobirama explained.

“Draw it out then and send us back,” Kakashi’s voice betrayed his impatience. “I need to return, _now_ ,” he stressed the word.

Tobirama looked down at his feet. “I can’t; I don’t have my notes or the formula with me.”

“Tch,” Kakashi stomped his feet as the cold began to seep into his bare arms and beneath his ANBU uniform.

“Tell us more about this jutsu you were working on, Lord Second,” Shikamaru ignored Kakashi’s attitude.

“It’s a variation of the Flying Thunder God technique,” Tobirama’s voice quieted. “Instead of traveling distances, the caster would travel across time.”

“At least that explains some of our confusion,” Neji thought aloud, “it seems that we’ve all come from a different time,” he shivered in the winter air. “I mean no disrespect, Lord Second, but your experimentation with jutsu left a lot of problems for us.”

Shikamaru’s eyes darted to Tobirama. “Have you already completed the reanimation jutsu?”

“The what?” Kakashi asked at the same time that Tobirama growled, “How do you know about that?”

“Damn it,” Shikamaru shoved his hands in his pockets, “never mind. Let’s take this one step at a time. So you documented this jutsu and then tested it, appearing here. Is that correct, Lord Second?”

“Yes,” Tobirama answered.

“And where were you when you found the seal, Kakashi-sen—er, Captain Hatake?”

“On a mission,” Kakashi automatically gave the succinct response that an elite ANBU would. “In the Uchiha district,” he added a vague detail.

“That’s not good news,” Shikamaru pulled one hand from his pocket to run it down his face again. “We were ordered to check out an abandoned hideout that was known to belong to Orochimaru.”

“Who?” Tobirama asked at the same time that Kakashi groaned.

“The student of your student,” Shikamaru explained, “he was a ninja that abandoned the Leaf, but not before researching your jutsu experiments.”

The color drained from Tobirama’s face.

“Orochimaru belonged to the Akatsuki, a group of rogue ninja, and it’s possible that he shared this jutsu with their leader, Madara.”

“Akatsuki?” Kakashi sputtered out while Tobirama roared, “Madara!”

“We haven’t confirmed if it _is_ Madara or someone claiming to be him,” Shikamaru amended. “But whoever it is, they are an Uchiha, and I’m willing to bet that they’re the one that drew the seal that you found, Captain Hatake.”

“You really have no idea where you’ve brought us, Lord Second?” Neji asked, bringing them all back to the problem at hand.

“I don’t,” Tobirama confessed, “as I said, I’m still perfecting the jutsu.”

A sarcastic retort bit the tip of Kakashi’s tongue, but he swallowed it. It wasn’t helpful, and the freezing temperature was becoming a credible threat. He assessed the position of the sun to determine the time of day, at least. “We have only a few hours of daylight left, and we need to find shelter from the cold.”

All four ninja looked around the low valley they stood in.

“We should make our way to higher ground to have a better look,” Neji said, pointing to the hills that rose on either side of the valley.

“We’ll climb that one,” Tobirama pointed to a hill in the distance that wasn’t as tall as the ones nearer to them. “It looks like an easier ascent, and we’ll have some shelter from the wind if we keep to the valley until we reach it.”

The band of four shinobi trudged through the snow in silence. While the valley prevented the worst of winter winds from lashing at them, it was still a long and miserable walk. When they reached the hill that Tobirama decided they would climb, dense clouds blanketed the sky, blocking out the sun, causing the temperature to drop further, and bringing the threat of snow.

As much as he tried, Kakashi couldn’t keep his teeth from chattering any longer. He felt a warm, fur collar draped around his neck.

“Your uniform is the least suited for this weather,” Tobirama kept pace beside Kakashi after catching up to him.

“I wasn’t planning on a winter stroll,” Kakashi sneered.

Snow crunched beneath their feet, filling the silence between them. Tobirama interrupted it, “You bear the weight of a bad mission on your shoulders, I can see it,” he said, concerned.

“Bad?” Kakashi blurted the word out. “I’ve been in ANBU for ten years, and that was the _worst_ mission I’ve ever been assigned to,” Kakashi hesitated for only a beat before adding, “and of your making, Lord Second.”

“My making?” Tobirama blustered. “How am I involved?”

“Your policies regarding one of Konoha’s founding clans led to its annihilation,” Kakashi glared at Tobirama. “I was cleaning up the aftermath when I arrived here.”

“It appears that I’m an unpopular Hokage,” Tobirama muttered.

Kakashi clenched his jaw partly to keep his teeth from chattering, and partly to keep the rest of his anger toward Lord Second to himself. Then a thought occurred to him, and he looked up at Shikamaru and Neji, who continued to walk in front of him.

“You two,” he said, gaining their attention, “what happened to-what was his name…the remaining Uchiha boy?”

“Do you mean Sasuke?” Neji asked.

“If he was Itachi’s younger brother, then yes,” Kakashi answered.

Shikamaru and Neji shared a look and left his question unanswered.

“What about Itachi then?” Kakashi tried again.

“He joined the Akatsuki and remained one of their strongest members, until Sasuke killed him,” Shikamaru answered.

Kakashi’s stomach twisted. “I don’t need this, I don’t want it from you,” he grunted, shirking off the fur collar and returned it to Tobirama.

He walked faster and reached the top of the hill before the others, startled by the sight that met his eyes. “Get down,” he commanded the others in a harsh whisper when they caught up to him.

A castle the likes of which Kakashi had only seen drawings of in history books stood near them. What was more alarming were the two armies made up of mostly samurai that faced each other much further in the distance.

“That’s the gyorin formation,” Shikamaru squinted at the battlefield as the snow began to fall.

“I see you’ve inherited your father’s appreciation of strategy,” Kakashi eyed Shikamaru, whose gaze remained rooted on the two armies.

“Should we run for the castle?” Neji asked.

“Not if it’s defended by the smaller of the two armies,” Kakashi objected.

“They have the superior weapons though, look,” Tobirama drew their attention to the samurai of the smaller army. They were forming a line, readying their firearms. “Even with greater numbers and cavalry, that other army is about to be slaughtered,” he surmised.

“Cavalry,” Shikamaru repeated, deep in thought.

Suddenly, shots rang out, and all four shinobi ducked reflexively. The smoke cleared on the battlefield in time for them to see the opposing army unleash its cavalry; the horsemen, some with banners adorned with their clan symbol fluttering behind them, charged for the line of gunners.

“That’s the Takeda clan,” Shikamaru mumbled as if hypnotized.

As the cavalry overran the gunman in the distance behind him, Shikamaru rose to his feet. “I know where we are, and when.”

“Get down,” Kakashi hissed, but his directive fell on deaf ears.

“We’re in the final month of the third year of the Genki era,” Shikamaru said with absolute certainty, “in the Mikawa Province.”

Kakashi, Tobirama, and Neji stared at Nara in silence, waiting for him to continue.

“That,” Shikamaru raised one shivering arm to point at the skirmish, “is the Battle of Mikatagahara, and that,” he raised his other shivering arm to point at the castle, “is Hamamatsu Castle.”

Shikamaru issued a triumphant smirk that faltered when the others didn’t share his enthusiasm.

“You guys are such a drag,” he dropped his arms, and his shoulders slumped. “I thought at least _you_ would remember the battles of the Warring States Period, Kakashi-sensei. They were taught at the academy.”

“I was a little too busy fighting in the Third Shinobi War to remember my lessons after I graduated,” Kakashi arched an eyebrow at Nara and was about to remind him of his correct title when Tobirama spoke.

“There was a Third Shinobi War?”

“The Fourth Shinobi War has been declared in our time,” Neji said, softly.

“What?” Kakashi and Tobirama both rounded on Hyūga.

Shikamaru pinched the bridge of his nose. “We need to focus on this time, right here and right now,” he said. “Pretty soon, the left flank is gonna fall—yep, any minute now,” he muttered as he glanced over his shoulder. “Tokugawa, the guy leading the army that’s defending this land, engaged the Takeda army against the advice of his generals. This battle ends when he is forced to retreat to Hamamatsu Castle.”

“Tokugawa…Ieyasu?” Kakashi asked.

“Finally remembering your lessons, huh?” Shikamaru scoffed, his enthusiasm returning. “Oda sent reinforcements, but they aren’t enough to stop the Takeda either. But just when you think these guys are done for, someone in the castle gets a tip that the battle isn’t going well, and Tokugawa pulls off one of the most famous bluffs in history. It’s going to be worth freezing to death if I get to see that,” Shikamaru rubbed his hands vigorously up and down his arms.

“I’d rather avoid the freezing part,” Neji interjected. “I’d rather take my chances in the castle.”

Shikamaru’s gaze snapped to Neji. “Neji, use your Byakugan to look inside the castle and tell us what you see.”

The veins around Neji’s eyes bulged, and he scanned the castle. “What am I looking for?”

“Tonight, a band of ninjas led by Hanzō Hattori will tear through the Takeda army while they’re camped outside the castle. _That_ is what drives them away,” Shikamaru turned his attention back to the battlefield.

“Hanzō Hattori,” Tobirama said under his breath, awed.

“Y’know, for all of their codes and talk of honor, the samurai backstabbed the hell out of each other during this time. It’s the ninja that are loyal, and they’re the ones I need you to find Neji. Look for chakra networks,” Shikamaru instructed.

“I see three,” Neji replied.

Shikamaru’s jaw dropped. “Three? There’s no way they pulled that off with only three ninjas.”

“One of them is very strong; he has an abundance of powerful chakra.”

“That one must be Hanzō,” Shikamaru considered. “Maybe there are more ninjas on the way, and they’re the ones that tip them off. Unless—”

“We’re the ninja,” Kakashi’s quick mind had not only caught up to Shikamaru’s brilliance but had started to think ahead of it. “We’re going to tip them off.”

Neji blinked, disengaging his Byakugan and turned his attention to Kakashi.

“We need to get to that castle,” Tobirama rose to his feet and began running alongside the others toward Hamamatsu Castle.

“It was Hanzō Hattori’s notes that I studied to develop the jutsu that brought us here,” Tobirama’s voice betrayed his excitement as he ran. “He was the first to use teleportation jutsu; I am the second and the only other one to master it.”

“Not true,” Kakashi spat, keeping pace with the Second Hokage. “Lord Fourth perfected the Flying Thunder God technique.”

“Lord Fourth…so Hiruzen is dead in your time?” Tobirama lost a little of his bravado, and he stopped in his tracks, shocked. “I suppose that Danzō succeeded him?”

“No. _My_ sensei died protecting the village shortly after he was named the Fourth Hokage. Lord Third reassumed the position afterward and has occupied it since,” Kakashi stopped to face Tobirama.

“Just before I arrived here, Danzō was placed under house arrest for his part in the massacre of the Uchiha clan,” Kakashi narrowed his right eye at him. “ _I’ll_ be named Hokage before Danzō ever could be,” he drawled sarcastically.

Neji interrupted them after he and Shikamaru backtracked to see what was causing their delay. “Actually—”

Nara placed a hand on Neji’s shoulder and shook his head. “Kakashi-sensei, Lord Second, I don’t know what your argument is, but you have to put it aside so we can get to that castle to tip them off,” Nara punctuated his reprimand with a stern glare.

Thoroughly cowed, Kakashi and Tobirama fell in line behind Neji and Shikamaru and continued on to Hamamatsu Castle.

Nara’s emphasis on teamwork impressed Kakashi, reminding him of the lessons his sensei and teammates instilled in him before their deaths. “You keep calling me sensei,” he called out to Shikamaru, “though I don’t think I’m cut out to be a teacher, I’d be proud to have you as a student.”

“You didn’t,” Shikamaru replied. “Asuma Sarutobi was my sensei.”

“Was?” Kakashi asked, dreading the answer as Neji eyed Shikamaru with concern.

Kakashi dropped the subject. It seemed the future was just as bleak as his present, leaving the younger ninja with no good news to share with him, just as he had no good news to share with Tobirama. He wondered if Shikamaru and Neji also blamed him as he blamed Lord Second.

They reached the castle and slowed their pace. “That wall looks like the easiest to climb up,” Tobirama pointed it out to the others.

“No,” Shikamaru refused.

“No?” Tobirama repeated, shocked. “I’m not accustomed to having my orders disobeyed.”

“Get used to it,” Kakashi bit back at him. “This kid has got us further than you and I combined,” he added, ashamed of himself. “What’s your plan to get inside?”

“We knock at the door,” Nara said, smirking at his comrades’ surprise, “and I better do the talking.”

Kakashi kept his doubts to himself and acquiesced with a slight nod.

They ran right up to the wide, wooden doors of the castle, and just as he said he would, Shikamaru pounded on them and shouted, “It is urgent that we speak with Lord Hattori!”

Kakashi thought it was too good to be true when the doors opened, and he heightened his guard when three men stood before them.

“It is not common knowledge that I am here,” one of the three men said by way of greeting them.

“Lord Hattori?” Shikamaru asked, and the man assented with a nod.

Shikamaru dropped to one knee, and his companions mimicked this action. “Owing to the alliance between yourselves and the Oda clan, we have come to offer ourselves as reinforcements.”

“You’re late, all of the reinforcements are currently on the battlefield,” Hanzō dismissed them, turning his back to them.

“We bring news of the battle. Tokugawa is facing a devastating defeat, and he must retreat here soon to seek refuge from the Takeda.”

Hanzō turned to face them again. “You are not samurai.”

“No, we are not,” Shikamaru replied without elaboration.

Hanzō appeared to consider Shikamaru’s words, and whether or not he could trust them, or should trust them even if he couldn’t. After some hesitation, he gestured to the two men that stood on either side of him. “Light the braziers; light every single one in the castle,” he ordered, and then he addressed the four that knelt before him. “You come with me,” he said.

He led them to a room and closed the door behind them. “You have not been sent by Oda Nobunaga,” he said simply.

Then Hanzō pulled throwing stars from his sleeve and sent them flying straight at Tobirama’s throat. Tobirama threw a kunai away from his body and teleported to it, evading the projectiles that clattered to the floor where he had stood not a moment before.

“However, you are ninja,” Hanzō spoke in the same unaffected tone, but he raised one eyebrow, betraying his astonishment to see his own jutsu performed by another. “Speak, the truth this time,” he continued in a low voice.

Shikamaru’s reluctance was evident when he failed to reply immediately. Tobirama stepped forward.

“It’s because of me that we’re here. I was experimenting with your Flying Thunder God technique, according to some obscure notes of yours that I’d found.”

Hanzō lifted his chin, looking down his nose at them. “Perhaps then the question isn’t where do you come from, but _when_?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Kakashi saw the others visibly relax their stances, and he felt himself do the same. He didn’t lower his guard completely, but he was warmer inside the castle, and now that the strangest detail of their experience was so readily accepted, he could breathe easier.

“You’ve come to me because you know the outcome of this battle—don’t tell me,” Hanzō raised his hand when Shikamaru drew a sharp breath to keep him from speaking. “That’s not for me to know yet. We’re in dangerous territory, and who knows how the slightest exchanges between us will affect our world and its progression through time.”

The four companions shuffled uncomfortably, each worried that they had already caused damage by how much they’d shared. Tobirama was the first to recover, asking the question that burned all of their tongues. “Why did we arrive here, of all places?”

Hanzō clasped his hands together in front of him and let his chin fall forward. “That may be my doing,” he admitted.

“There are few things and even fewer people that one may trust during these times. I believe in Tokugawa. He is strong, but he was headstrong in this case,” Hanzō sighed, shaking his head.

“He acted rashly. We all cautioned him to allow the Takeda to pass through Mikawa on their way to Kyoto, but he insisted on cutting them off, convinced his firepower would be enough to stop them. My loyalty to Tokugawa is absolute, but I confess that I’ve doubted him this time.

“I’m researching variations of the Flying Thunder God jutsu, but whether traveling over distances or through time, the principle of the technique is the same,” Hanzō raised his eyes to meet Tobirama’s, “you must have something to teleport _to_.”

Tobirama gaped at him, shocked at the realization of his miscalculation.

“As I said, I had my concerns about Tokugawa’s decision to confront the Takeda,” Hanzō continued. “I hid a seal in the snow on the other side of the hills some distance from this castle, so that I could have a point in time to return to, should the worst occur today.”

“That’s precisely where we arrived,” Kakashi confirmed.

Hanzō turned his attention to Kakashi and was about to speak when someone pounded on the door behind him.

“Lord Hattori!” A shout came from the other side of the door. “Tokugawa has decided to retreat. He has sent one of his men ahead with the order to open the castle gates and doors and to sound the drums to welcome them home as heroes!”

Hanzō turned around and opened the door, and the other continued his warning. “The entire Takeda army is on his heels.”

“Do as Tokugawa has ordered,” Hanzō instructed the man and turned to face the four Leaf shinobi. “You offered yourselves as reinforcements, and I now accept your assistance. We will resolve your problem once the threat has passed.”

After giving them minimal directions, Hanzō left Kakashi, Tobirama, Shikamaru, and Neji to their own devices. He told them where the kitchen was, and where the laundry was done so the band of four ninjas could eat and change their clothes.

Hamamatsu Castle was severely undermanned, and the four companions moved with the urgency that the situation dictated. They quickly ate and drank before going further into the castle in search of warmer, more appropriate clothes.

The majority of the soldiers of Tokugawa’s army were of an age and stature most similar to Neji and Shikamaru. That pair found clothes for themselves easily and donned them while Kakashi and Tobirama were still looking for something suitable to wear.

“Meet us up there when you’re done,” Shikamaru shouted to them, “I don’t want to miss this!”

Kakashi chuckled, amused that Nara was excited about the Takeda bearing down on them while everyone else feared it. However, when he looked up to see Tobirama smirking at the departing pair, his mirth dissipated.

Tobirama didn’t miss it, either. “Am I remembered so poorly among all of the Leaf shinobi of your time?”

Kakashi ignored the question and returned to his search for clothes that would fit him properly.

“It’s not just your generation. Apparently, the one that follows yours despises me as well,” Tobirama continued. “I’ve followed my conscience, for the good of Konoha—”

“That’s exactly what Danzō says, every time his actions threaten our village,” Kakashi interrupted him. “How is ordering the genocide of one of our founding clans-destroying a powerful kekkei genkai with it-for the good of Konoha?” He erupted.

Tobirama stood silent, assessing Kakashi. “Is that the mission you were on when you arrived here?”

“When you brought me here?” Kakashi sniped.

“I didn’t force you to touch the seal,” Tobirama growled.

“One less thing to fault you with,” Kakashi grumbled, selecting a pair of trousers that would fit him.

“My faults,” Tobirama exclaimed. “According to you, my faults are many and each unforgivable!”

“And I haven’t even listed all of them.”

Kakashi felt himself tugged by the back of his ANBU vest and forcibly turned to face a snarling Lord Second.

“How dare you,” Tobirama spoke in a low, dangerous voice that rang angrier than a shout. “I put policies in place to protect Konoha. I organized the shinobi forces into a clear order, with a clear code and rules to follow—”

“Rules!” Kakashi brought his hands up between them and pushed Tobirama. “You corralled the Uchiha, restricted them, and laid the foundation for distrust and prejudice. And,” Kakashi pointed a finger at Tobirama to further emphasize his accusation, “your code _destroyed_ my father.”

Tobirama stood stiff and silent for a moment, as some of the red hot anger left his face. “Sakumo is dead?”

Kakashi felt his blood drain from his face as well. “You know my father?”

“As well as I can, I suppose. He is a small child now, in my time. He is the pride of your grandfather, whom I consider a friend.”

“Then you’ve met more of my family than I have,” Kakashi muttered, turning his back to Tobirama again.

“I’ve followed my conscience,” Tobirama repeated his assertion, though in a quieter tone.

“So you’ve said,” Kakashi retorted.

“Am I not allowed to make mistakes? I suppose _you_ have never made a mistake?” Frustration returned to Tobirama’s voice, and something more that added a thickness to it.

Kakashi let his hands fall and looked over his shoulder at Tobirama. “I have made mistakes, many mistakes. But the greatest mistake that I ever made came from my total adherence to your rules.”

Tobirama winced as he turned his back to Kakashi, and the pair returned to their task in silence.

As Kakashi’s temper cooled, he began to regret his contribution to their argument. He was still nowhere near an apology, but he was closer to a truce by the time he had finished changing his clothes.

“Why do you experiment with such unimaginable jutsus?” He asked, hoping that Tobirama could detect his peace offering in the question.

Tobirama still had his back to him, and his shoulders dropped when he sighed. “To save my younger brother,” he confessed, “and to stop myself from killing the brother of another.”

He turned to face Kakashi. “The most recent of my countless mistakes has taught me that it will be impossible for me to do either, so I will stop trying,” the corner of his mouth lifted in a sad smile.

Tobirama knit his eyebrows together. “In my time, tensions are mounting between the nations; the alliance that my older brother fought so hard to establish is unraveling. That’s where my attention needs to be now.”

Kakashi felt the weight of the blame he’d leveled onto Tobirama, and how much of it he’d misplaced upon him. “Lord Second, I—”

The sound of drums booming as loud as thunder drowned out his words. Kakashi and Tobirama steeled themselves and ran to join Shikamaru and Neji.

“You didn’t say he had only five men with him when Tokugawa retreated to the castle!” Kakashi and Tobirama found their comrades in time to see Neji disengage his Byakugan.

“There’s no way we can hold this castle with less than twenty soldiers to defend it,” Tobirama voiced his grim thoughts.

“The Takeda army doesn’t know that,” Shikamaru laced his fingers together behind his head and leaned against the wall behind him, making himself comfortable. “Trust me, just watch.”

Kakashi did watch as six men walked into the castle as if they’d won the day, with the actual victors-an entire army-marching behind them. Despite knowing the outcome, the sight made him more than a little nervous. Tobirama twitched subtly beside him, and even Shikamaru’s muscles tensed almost imperceptibly. Neji, however, had a much more pronounced reaction.

He turned to Shikamaru, his pale eyes and mouth wide open, with a wild expression on his face. He lunged for Nara, pulling him against his body, and in a grand, desperate gesture, kissed him.

The passionate display between their fellow shinobi took the edge off the tension, and while Neji kissed Shikamaru breathless, the army that descended upon them halted their charge.

The pair separated, staring each other down. “Did you just kiss me?” Shikamaru panted.

“I thought we were going to die!” Neji sputtered.

Shikamaru’s features softened from surprised to affectionate. He brought his hands up to either side of Neji’s face, cradling it. “Next time, grab a weapon, so you can kiss me after we survive,” he pecked him and pressed their foreheads together.

Tobirama cleared his throat, “They’ve stopped.”

Shikamaru shared a brief, warm smile with Neji before he turned his head to view the army gathered in front of Hamamatsu Castle. “What did I tell you? Tokugawa is a better bluffer than Lady Fifth. The Takeda think it’s a trap and will set up camp instead of advancing on the castle.”

“Lady Fifth?” Kakashi and Tobirama found themselves asking the same question again.

“Damn it, Hanzō warned us about that. I better not say too much, but I _will_ say that she’s going to run you ragged Kakashi-sensei, and we’re lucky to have her in our time,” Shikamaru replied.

“Speaking of Hanzō,” Kakashi shook off the prospect of a heavy future workload to focus on the moment at hand. “We should find him and discuss our strategy for tonight.”

The four set off immediately, making their way to the castle gates. Kakashi assumed that Hanzō would be wherever Tokugawa could be found, and his hunch proved correct. When Hanzō spied them, they dropped to their knees.

“Who are they?” They heard one of the new arrivals ask.

“They are my allies, Lord Tokugawa,” Hanzō answered.

“ _Your_ allies?” Tokugawa approached them, but the four kept their eyes to the ground. “I welcome any assistance and leave you to Lord Hattori’s command.”

“Rest and recover, my Lord,” Hanzō spoke again, “and be assured that ninja will do what samurai did not.”

After Tokugawa departed, Hanzō called to them. “Rise and come with me.”

Hanzō led Kakashi, Tobirama, Shikamaru, and Neji to a room where they could discuss their plans in private.

“Tonight we will raid the Takeda camp and cut down any that we encounter, awake or asleep,” Hanzō directed. “We will make the Takeda regret their decision to stand against Tokugawa and Oda. We will avenge the fallen through the surprise, stealth, and precision that only ninja are capable of.”

Hanzō looked directly at his four unexpected allies. “We must force the Takeda away from Hamamatsu Castle to ensure our safe passage home.”

He seated himself at a table in the middle of the room, and the four Leaf shinobi joined him. “Now,” Hanzō began, “before I can prepare a strategy, I need to know what your skills are. Tell me what you consider to be your strongest abilities and jutsus. And,” Hanzō arched one eyebrow, “this is no time for boasting.”

After Hanzō was acquainted with their strengths and weaknesses, he said, “I could certainly use ninjas of your caliber in times like these.”

All four Leaf shinobi started at this, but Hanzō raised a hand in a placating gesture. “I will keep my word; have no doubt of that, no matter how sorry I’ll be to see you go.”

Then he sat forward in his chair, clasped his hands together on the table in front of him, and laid out his plan.

Shikamaru would be the first to strike, targeting the guards that patrolled the camp. The shadows cast by the torches they held could be easily manipulated by Nara to strangle them with, dispatching them swiftly and silently.

Kakashi, along with Hanzō’s men, would invade the camp, slitting throats as they went. They were to carry the special kunai that Tobirama and Hanzō could teleport to should they encounter trouble and require assistance.

Neji would act as the eyes of the group, surveying the entire camp with his Byakugan. He would alert Tobirama or Hanzō if they needed to teleport to one of their comrades. In addition, he would be relied upon to detect and report the presence of enemy ninja.

Once the Takeda army’s numbers had been thinned, Kakashi would employ raikiri and tear through the camp. Hanzō knew this would wake the soldiers and was counting on the fact that the sight of a man with one red eye and lightning in the palm of his hand would terrify them.

Tobirama would then cast his genjutsu that trapped his targets in perpetual darkness, and the whole band of ninja would descend upon the army, cutting down the Takeda while they were incapacitated.

“The survivors are sure to flee after such an attack,” Hanzō said, confident in his plan.

“It’s a good plan, a solid plan,” Tobirama agreed.

Neji and Shikamaru sat quietly, their expressions serious as each concentrated on his role in the attack.

Kakashi surveyed his three companions, assessing them. Each one was more than capable, and he felt that he could trust them to fulfill their duty while looking out for each other. This wasn’t their war, but they needed to succeed to return to where and when they were needed most.

The shinobi rested until the middle of the night. They stole out of the castle and launched their assault undetected in the darkness. By the time the sun breached the horizon, the Takeda army was breaking camp.

The nighttime raid had achieved its goal, and a single band of ninja drove an army away. Between Tokugawa’s bold bluff and the skill of shinobi, Hamamatsu Castle was held by a handful against a force of thousands, and one of the greatest legends of the Warring States Period was born overnight.

Kakashi didn’t feel like a hero, though. He still had the aftermath of the Uchiha massacre in his present to return to.

While Hanzō Hattori was their undisputed leader for the duration of their attack, it was Tobirama who assumed responsibility for the Leaf shinobi after it was over. He assessed each one individually and thoroughly, checking for physical injuries as well as invisible ones to the minds of his men after such a bloody altercation.

Kakashi couldn’t believe this was the same man that wrote the strict code that dictated the behavior of all Leaf ninja from genin to Hokage. He wondered if this experience had altered Tobirama or if Tobirama’s rules had been altered as they were handed down.

Either way, Kakashi was grateful that Tobirama was among them, and he wished to atone for the harsh words and accusations that he’d directed at him.

“I know that I speak for all of us when I say we are eager to return home,” Tobirama addressed them after he was satisfied with their condition.

Hanzō joined them. “We were interrupted before I could finish explaining the jutsu, and there is more that I need to tell you to prepare you for your return.”

The band of ninja remained hidden and watching until the Takeda departed. When they returned to the castle, Kakashi, Tobirama, Shikamaru, and Neji were shown to where they could wash themselves clean of the filth from their nighttime raid. They donned soft yukatas and were led to a warm room where a hot meal and tea had been laid out.

Hanzō arrived shortly after with several scrolls in hand. He laid them out on the floor in front of him. Tobirama’s curiosity peaked, and he rose to see them better.

“I’ve brought all of my notes and research,” Hanzō began, “as you can see, this is a complex jutsu, and it is still imperfect.” He pointed to one of the many formulae scribbled on the scrolls. “Is this the seal that you activated?”

“Yes,” Tobirama answered, “that’s exactly it.”

“That is why you’ve arrived in my lifetime. As I said, whenever or however you are using the Flying Thunder God technique, you must have a designated point to teleport to. This symbol,” Hanzō pointed to it as he spoke, “is what I use to mark that point.”

He unrolled an unused scroll and laid it on top of his notes. Hanzō selected a brush, dipped it in ink, and began to draw out the seal that all four Leaf ninja had touched. “This part of the seal is what forces time to open up to the caster. When you activate one seal, you activate them all. By adding my symbol to it, a destination is established.”

“But you apply that symbol to many objects,” Shikamaru noted. “The kunai you used last evening bore them. How do you determine _which_ mark is the one to teleport to?”

“I can’t, which is why it is an imperfect jutsu.”

The idea that each Leaf ninja may not return to the exact point from which they left unnerved them.

“So we might not return at all, we could be sent anywhere,” Neji spoke their fears aloud.

“Not true,” Hanzō set his brush aside and reached for another scroll. “This complex jutsu is a combination of two techniques.”

“Yes, there was more to the formula that I drew out. There was another circle of symbols around the one that you’ve drawn here,” Tobirama stated.

Hanzō unrolled the scroll he held. “They are derived from this technique,” he set the opened scroll down. “You cannot send your physical self through time, and there’s only one way to be in two places at once.”

“The shadow clone jutsu,” Kakashi whispered in astonishment. “We’re clones.”

“Yes,” Hanzō confirmed.

The room fell silent while each Leaf ninja absorbed the shock.

“As tempted as I am to experiment with this further, I’m not sure that I should,” Hanzō broke the heavy silence.

“I suppose it’s a comfort to know that our originals are still where we left them,” Tobirama said. “We haven’t been missed at all.”

“That means we don’t have to cast another jutsu to return; we simply dispel this one,” Shikamaru considered. “It scares the hell out of me, but it’s brilliant.”

“That is one solution,” Hanzō agreed.

“There’s another?” Tobirama asked.

Hanzō set his scrolls aside. “While I think it is dangerous to tamper too heavily with the flow of time, I have benefited greatly from your interference and feel that I owe you more than an explanation of this jutsu.”

He turned his attention to Tobirama. “You can use the Flying Thunder God technique and have marked objects like kunai with your own unique symbol. If you replace my symbol with yours in the formula, your destination would be unique to your lifetime. You would merge with your original at that point of arrival.”

“However, there would be no way to know _exactly_ when I would return,” Tobirama recounted the detail.

“Correct.”

“Could that work even if we cannot use the Flying Thunder God technique?” Kakashi asked.

“You were able to come here without knowing how to use the technique, but you can only return to yourself,” Hanzō pondered aloud.

“I suppose that if you possess something that’s been marked by someone for the purpose of teleportation, and knew their unique symbol well enough to draw it in the formula, I don’t see why you couldn’t. However, that doesn’t mean that you could pinpoint an exact time to return to; it would only narrow it down to any time that you were in contact with the object,” he cautioned.

Kakashi thought of a special kunai, a gift from Minato, that he displayed in his apartment. He had memorized his sensei’s mark long ago and could easily draw it out. The possibility that he could return before the Uchiha massacre was worth the risk, he decided.

And if he didn’t, he would use the Sharingan to copy the formula to ensure that he could keep trying until he succeeded.

Kakashi kept his thoughts to himself under Tobirama’s fixed gaze. He was sure that Lord Second knew exactly what he was planning and didn’t dare meet his eyes.

“That leaves the two of us with only one option,” Shikamaru deduced.

Neji looked at Shikamaru with a faint smile and nodded his head in agreement.

“Thank you both, for all that you’ve done for us,” Hanzō bowed to them, and when he straightened, Shikamaru and Neji disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared the day before.

They dispelled the jutsu and returned to their time before Kakashi could say goodbye, but then he realized that he didn’t have to because he’d be seeing them again when he became a sensei. He smiled to himself, knowing that wherever they were, their reunion would be an amorous one.

“As much as I would wish to correct one or more of my many mistakes, there’s no guarantee that I would return at a point where I could,” Tobirama made his decision aloud. “I’ve caused enough trouble by meddling with this jutsu, and I am needed most at the time that I left.”

He raised his eyes to Kakashi. “I will put my trust in the future.”

Kakashi nodded to show that he understood the multiple meanings behind Tobirama’s statement. “Meeting you has improved my opinion of you, Lord Second.”

Tobirama smiled genuinely. “Thank you, Captain Hatake.”

Hanzō bowed to Tobirama, “I am grateful for your meddling. Thank you.”

When Hanzō sat upright again, only he and Kakashi remained, “I will take the other option,” he said.

“You’re certain?” Hanzō asked.

“I am,” Kakashi replied firmly.

Hanzō smoothed a blank section of one of the scrolls in front of him. As he dipped his brush into the ink, Kakashi opened his Sharingan eye, memorizing the formula and the order in which it was drawn before adding Minato’s mark to it himself.

He handed the brush back to Hanzō and bowed his head in parting.

Hanzō bowed to him, thanking him as he placed his hand on the seal. Then, in one furious, nauseating spin, Kakashi’s surroundings had changed entirely once again.

He felt his body sway on the spot as thoughts and experiences merged into sudden memories. Kakashi could hear the garbled sound of someone speaking behind him, but his senses were overwhelmed and confused. He blinked his eyes to the trees surrounding him, focusing on them. Then, his stomach sank in apprehension.

Kakashi’s vision was the same in both eyes. He had no visual prowess; he had no Sharingan. The seal that he copied was lost to him.

He bit his cheeks to keep from howling in anger. Kakashi had taken too great a risk and had failed once again.

“…those who would abandon their comrades are worse than trash!”

The words spoken behind him cut through his disappointment and vexation. Kakashi whirled around to find Obito Uchiha turning his back to him, and beginning to walk away.

The jutsu had returned Kakashi to the very day that Minato had given him the kunai with his mark on it.

Kakashi’s mind raced as Obito stepped further away from him. He may not be able to save the entire Uchiha clan, but he could save one of them right now. He wasn’t sure if saving one life versus many would make much of a difference to the future, but it was the only thing he could do at the moment.

So he did, uttering the words that he wished he’d said that day.

“Wait, Obito. You’re right. I’m coming with you.”

** The End **

**Author's Note:**

> Some historical references of the actual events depicted in this story:  
> [The Battle of Mikatagahara](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mikatagahara) (Wikipedia link)  
> This reference doesn't put Hattori at the battle, but he is credited as being involved in it according to other sources.
> 
> [Hattori Hanzō](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattori_Hanz%C5%8D) (Wikipedia link)  
> Hattori is known as a samurai according to some sources, and a ninja in others. He is rumored to have had supernatural powers (one of which was teleportation).
> 
> If you'd rather not read the above, there is a great series on YouTube called Extra History. Their series on Japan's Warring States Period is both informative and entertaining. Here is the link to the fourth episode of that series which mentions the Battle of Mikatagahara, and this is the account that I've pulled from to write into my story:  
> [Warring States Japan: Sengoku Jidai - The Death of Oda Nobunaga - Extra History - #4](https://youtu.be/ht6h4-MsMOY)
> 
> ***  
> Join the Kakashi Lounge Discord Server! To be a member you must be:  
> At least 16 years old  
> Able to play nice with others in a multishipping community  
> [The Kakashi Lounge](https://discord.gg/fxyw3eB)


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